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Ebola outbreak: Inside an infectious disease ward

As the death toll from the worst ever outbreak of the highly contagious disease has climbed to 1,013 since it was discovered in remote southeastern Guinea in March, medical workers around the world are prepping and researching equipment and techniques used to contain infectious diseases.

A Czech military personnel wearing protective gear takes part in a drill in the Biological Defence Centre, a specialised medical institution ensuring complete biological defence, in the village of Techonin August 11, 2014. The Biological Defence Department is involved in the NATO biological defence system and is equipped for treatment of possible Ebola virus patients. (David W Cerny/Reuters)

Ward physician Thomas Klotzkowski and doctor for tropical medicine Florian Steiner (L) wear protective suits as they walk in the quarantine station for patients with infectious diseases at the Charite hospital in Berlin August 11, 2014. The isolation ward at the Charite is one of several centres in Germany equipped to treat patients suffering from ebola and other highly infectious diseases, the clinic’s doctor for tropical medicine Florian Steiner said. Ebola is one of the deadliest diseases known to humanity. It has no proven cure and there is no vaccine to prevent infection. The most effective treatment involves alleviating symptoms that include fever, vomiting and diarrhoea. The rigorous use of quarantine is needed to prevent its spread, as well as high standards of hygiene for anyone who might come into contact with the disease. (Thomas Peter/Reuters)

Ward physician Thomas Klotzkowski wears a protective suit at the quarantine station for patients with infectious diseases at the Charite hospital in Berlin August 11, 2014. (Thomas Peter/Reuters)

Ward physician Thomas Klotzkowski and doctor for tropical medicine Florian Steiner (L) put on protective suits at the quarantine station for patients with infectious diseases at the Charite hospital in Berlin August 11, 2014. (Thomas Peter/Reuters)

Ward physician Thomas Klotzkowski stands in a sick unit at the quarantine station for patients with infectious diseases at the Charite hospital in Berlin August 11, 2014. (Thomas Peter/Reuters)

Ward physician Thomas Klotzkowski (L) and doctor for tropical medicine Florian Steiner wearing protective suits, stand in a sick unit at the quarantine station for patients with infectious diseases at the Charite hospital in Berlin August 11, 2014. (Thomas Peter/Reuters)

Doctor for tropical medicine Florian Steiner demonstrates the testing of a blood sample at the quarantine station for patients with infectious diseases at the Charite hospital in Berlin August 11, 2014. (Thomas Peter/Reuters)

Doctor for tropical medicine Florian Steiner (L) cleans ward physician Thomas Klotzkowski in a disinfection chamber at the quarantine station for patients with infectious diseases at the Charite hospital in Berlin August 11, 2014. (Thomas Peter/Reuters)

Ward physician Thomas Klotzkowski (R) cleans doctor for tropical medicine, Florian Steiner, in a disinfection chamber at the quarantine station for patients with infectious diseases at the Charite hospital in Berlin August 11, 2014. (Thomas Peter/Reuters)

Doctor for tropical medicine Florian Steiner (R) and ward physician Thomas Klotzkowski stand in a disinfection chamber after cleaning their protective suits at the quarantine station for patients with infectious diseases at the Charite hospital in Berlin August 11, 2014. (Thomas Peter/Reuters)

Doctor for tropical medicine Florian Steiner (R) and ward physician Thomas Klotzkowski stand in a disinfection chamber after cleaning their protective suits at the quarantine station for patients with infectious diseases at the Charite hospital in Berlin August 11, 2014. The isolation ward at the Charite is one of several centres in Germany equipped to treat patients suffering from ebola and other highly infectious diseases, the clinic’s doctor for tropical medicine Florian Steiner said. Ebola is one of the deadliest diseases known to humanity. It has no proven cure and there is no vaccine to prevent infection. The most effective treatment involves alleviating symptoms that include fever, vomiting and diarrhoea. The rigorous use of quarantine is needed to prevent its spread, as well as high standards of hygiene for anyone who might come into contact with the disease. The sign reads: “Do not Enter. Infectious Diseases. No Trespassing!” . (Thomas Peter/Reuters)

Doctor for tropical medicine Florian Steiner (R) and ward physician Thomas Klotzkowski step out of a disinfection chamber after cleaning their protective suits, at the quarantine station for patients with infectious diseases at the Charite hospital in Berlin August 11, 2014. The isolation ward at the Charite is one of several centres in Germany equipped to treat patients suffering from ebola and other highly infectious diseases, the clinic’s doctor for tropical medicine Florian Steiner said. Ebola is one of the deadliest diseases known to humanity. It has no proven cure and there is no vaccine to prevent infection. The most effective treatment involves alleviating symptoms that include fever, vomiting and diarrhoea. The rigorous use of quarantine is needed to prevent its spread, as well as high standards of hygiene for anyone who might come into contact with the disease. (Thomas Peter/Reuters)

Protective suits hang in the quarantine station for patients with infectious diseases at the Charite hospital in Berlin August 11, 2014. The isolation ward at the Charite is one of several centres in Germany equipped to treat patients suffering from ebola and other highly infectious diseases, the clinic’s doctor for tropical medicine Florian Steiner said. Ebola is one of the deadliest diseases known to humanity. It has no proven cure and there is no vaccine to prevent infection. The most effective treatment involves alleviating symptoms that include fever, vomiting and diarrhoea. The rigorous use of quarantine is needed to prevent its spread, as well as high standards of hygiene for anyone who might come into contact with the disease. The sign reads: “Do not Enter. Infectious Diseases. No Trespassing!” (Thomas Peter/Reuters)

Protective gear of Czech military personnel wearing protective gear hang on hooks in the Biological Defence Centre, a specialised medical institution ensuring complete biological defence, in the village of Techonin August 11, 2014. The Biological Defence Department is involved in the NATO biological defence system and is equipped for treatment of possible Ebola virus patients. (David W Cerny/Reuters)

Czech military personnel wearing protective gear take part in a drill with a dummy in the Biological Defence Centre, a specialised medical institution ensuring complete biological defence, in the village of Techonin August 11, 2014. The Biological Defence Department is involved in the NATO biological defence system and is equipped for treatment of possible Ebola virus patients. (David W Cerny/Reuters)

Czech military personnel wearing protective gear take part in a drill with a dummy in the Biological Defence Centre, a specialised medical institution ensuring complete biological defence, in the village of Techonin August 11, 2014. The Biological Defence Department is involved in the NATO biological defence system and is equipped for treatment of possible Ebola virus patients. (David W Cerny/Reuters)

Czech military personnel wearing protective gear take part in a drill with a dummy in the Biological Defence Centre, a specialised medical institution ensuring complete biological defence, in the village of Techonin August 11, 2014. The Biological Defence Department is involved in the NATO biological defence system and is equipped for treatment of possible Ebola virus patients. (David W Cerny/Reuters)

A Czech military personnel wearing protective gear takes part in a drill with a dummy in the Biological Defence Centre, a specialised medical institution ensuring complete biological defence, in the village of Techonin August 11, 2014. The Biological Defence Department is involved in the NATO biological defence system and is equipped for treatment of possible Ebola virus patients. (David W Cerny/Reuters)

A Czech military personnel wearing protective gear takes part in a drill with a dummy in the Biological Defence Centre, a specialised medical institution ensuring complete biological defence, in the village of Techonin August 11, 2014. The Biological Defence Department is involved in the NATO biological defence system and is equipped for treatment of possible Ebola virus patients. (David W Cerny/Reuters)

A nurse helps a doctor for tropical medicine and a nurse take off their isolation suits following a demonstration for the media of ebola treatment capabilities at Station 59 at Charite hospital on August 11, 2014 in Berlin, Germany. The specialized quarantine unit at Station 59 is among a handful of facilities in Germany nationwide that are capable of handling ebola cases. According to media reports a German medical student currently in Ruanda is showing signs of the disease, though should he in fact have ebola it is so far unclear whether he would be flown to Germany for treatment. The disease has so far claimed over 1,000 lives in western Africa in recent weeks. (Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images)

A nurse and a doctor for tropical medicine wearing isolation suits demonstrate the decontamination procedure as part of ebola treatment capability at Station 59 at Charite hospital on August 11, 2014 in Berlin, Germany. The specialized quarantine unit at Station 59 is among a handful of facilities in Germany nationwide that are capable of handling ebola cases. According to media reports a German medical student currently in Ruanda is showing signs of the disease, though should he in fact have ebola it is so far unclear whether he would be flown to Germany for treatment. The disease has so far claimed over 1,000 lives in western Africa in recent weeks. (Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images)

A doctor for tropical medicine wearing an isolation prepares to enter a laboratory during a demonstration for the media of ebola treatment capabilities at Station 59 at Charite hospital on August 11, 2014 in Berlin, Germany. The specialized quarantine unit at Station 59 is among a handful of facilities in Germany nationwide that are capable of handling ebola cases. According to media reports a German medical student currently in Ruanda is showing signs of the disease, though should he in fact have ebola it is so far unclear whether he would be flown to Germany for treatment. The disease has so far claimed over 1,000 lives in western Africa in recent weeks. (Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images)

A doctor for tropical medicine prepares a blood sample for analysis during a demonstration for the media of ebola treatment capabilities at Station 59 at Charite hospital on August 11, 2014 in Berlin, Germany. The specialized quarantine unit at Station 59 is among a handful of facilities in Germany nationwide that are capable of handling ebola cases. According to media reports a German medical student currently in Ruanda is showing signs of the disease, though should he in fact have ebola it is so far unclear whether he would be flown to Germany for treatment. The disease has so far claimed over 1,000 lives in western Africa in recent weeks. (Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images)

A doctor for tropical medicine prepares a blood sample for analysis during a demonstration for the media of ebola treatment capabilities at Station 59 at Charite hospital on August 11, 2014 in Berlin, Germany. The specialized quarantine unit at Station 59 is among a handful of facilities in Germany nationwide that are capable of handling ebola cases. According to media reports a German medical student currently in Ruanda is showing signs of the disease, though should he in fact have ebola it is so far unclear whether he would be flown to Germany for treatment. The disease has so far claimed over 1,000 lives in western Africa in recent weeks. (Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images)

A doctor for tropical medicine and a nurse demonstrate the decontamination procedure as part of ebola treatment at Station 59 at Charite hospital on August 11, 2014 in Berlin, Germany. The specialized quarantine unit at Station 59 is among a handful of facilities in Germany nationwide that are capable of handling ebola cases. According to media reports a German medical student currently in Ruanda is showing signs of the disease, though should he in fact have ebola it is so far unclear whether he would be flown to Germany for treatment. The disease has so far claimed over 1,000 lives in western Africa in recent weeks. (Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images)

A doctor for tropical medicine and a nurse demonstrate the decontamination procedure as part of ebola treatment at Station 59 at Charite hospital on August 11, 2014 in Berlin, Germany. The specialized quarantine unit at Station 59 is among a handful of facilities in Germany nationwide that are capable of handling ebola cases. According to media reports a German medical student currently in Ruanda is showing signs of the disease, though should he in fact have ebola it is so far unclear whether he would be flown to Germany for treatment. The disease has so far claimed over 1,000 lives in western Africa in recent weeks. (Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images)

The virus – one of the deadliest diseases known to man – has spread to four African countries, infecting a total 1,848 people, according to the WHO, which has branded the outbreak an international health emergency.

The epidemic in one of the world’s poorest regions, where crumbling healthcare systems are unable to cope, has opened an ethical debate on the use of trial drugs on humans. A WHO medical ethics committee was due to announce its findings on Tuesday, including on the sensitive issue of who should receive priority for the limited supplies of the drugs. – Tribune wire reports

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